An Ofsted report suggests Teesside children are among the happiest in the country.

The annual TellUs3 report, based on responses from 150,000 10 to 15-year-olds, shows that, in general, youngsters in the North of England are more emotionally secure than children elsewhere.

They are also more likely to have many friends, enjoy school, not be attracted by drugs or drink and have “easy access” to parks and leisure facilities.

The study, based on a “traffic light” grading system, suggests that Y6 children in Redcar and Cleveland are among the happiest in the country.

Children in Middlesbrough and Stockton are ranked slightly lower, but still above the national average. Y8 and Y10 children were also questioned in these boroughs.

And when asked about the individual statement “I feel happy about my life at the moment,” a hefty 76% of those asked in Stockton ticked “true” compared to 69% nationally. The figure for Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough was 71%.

Melanie Olvanhill, deputy headteacher of Riverdale Primary School in Redcar, said she wasn’t surprised to hear our kids are happy.

The school was recently highlighted by Ofsted as being “a happy, welcoming place”.

She said: “It’s fantastic, considering we live in an area recognised nationally as being quite deprived. Generally, our children are very happy, thanks to the nurturing environment we have here.”

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar, called the survey’s findings “a startling but very welcome report”.

He said: “It is excellent news that Redcar and Cleveland children are – on their own estimation – very happy with their life and with their situation both at home, in school and in the wider community, and that their views are also generally shared by their counterparts in Middlesbrough.

“It certainly dispels the myth that ‘it’s grim up North’, and is, I believe, a massive pat on the back for our local councils and our local schools.”

The study is part of a government shift away from measuring the effectiveness of policies for children only in terms of their educational results to take into account new measures of happiness.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills, Christine Gilbert, said: “The survey finds much that is positive in their lives, and encouragingly some things have improved since last year’s survey.

“However, more needs to be done to support concerns for those children who do not feel safe in schools, those who are bullied and children who smoke, drink and misuse drugs.”